Hamburger Suffers British Rage

posted
September 9th, 2010

Last time we checked in on Neil Hamburger, we weren't even sure if he'd make it to the UK in time to follow through on his touring engagements. Miraculously his little life raft held true, and not only did he make the gigs, but he managed to get really positive reviews-- for his comedy, even-- leaving all of us here in the office quite chuffed (if you're not a member of the U.K., that means "pleased"). One thing led to another, and that thing led to a last minute invitation from the Reading Festival to come down and attempt to drag a few laughs out of the notoriously diffident festival crowd-- triumph seemed impossible! The UK's music fans appeared poised to reject America's Funnyman in classic British fashion, with a shrug and a whispered "I don't know what this chap is on about..." Fortunately, dame fate would have it otherwise! Taking the stage in front of 3,000 "blokes" and their "bitches," (we're still not sure who's who! It's like another world over there) Neil was warmly greeted with a classic British audience tactics dating back to vaudeville days - clapping, chanting, a streaking and best of all, a rain of bottles! If you haven't been bottled in Britain, you're nobody. Frankly, we never thought those uptight freaks would be able to "get" Neil's sophisticated routines, but stranger things have happened, we're told. Don't believe it went down like this? Well, here's the video evidence:

The sonics are a bit difficult on these awful British phone-cams, but if you want a solidly-recorded document of Neil and an all-American audience enjoying each other's company, we recommend the recent LP release, Hot February Night - another night of victory for the "World's Funnyman," Neil Hamburger.